Steve Brawnerhttp://swtimes.com/rss.xml/19
enCommentary: There’s Fresh Blood In Governor’s Mansionhttp://swtimes.com/columns-blogs/steve-brawner/commentary-there-s-fresh-blood-governor-s-mansion
Being governor is not a job where practice makes perfect. In fact, in many ways, a governor is at his or her best as a beginner.Sun, 01 Mar 2015 11:07:33 +0000209856 at http://swtimes.comCommentary: Another Mandate, In Writinghttp://swtimes.com/columns-blogs/steve-brawner/commentary-another-mandate-writing
This is the part of the legislative session where I look forward to lawmakers going home, because they do not always listen to me.Wed, 25 Feb 2015 11:06:41 +0000208411 at http://swtimes.comCommentary: Saving $100, And Hopefully, A Few Inmateshttp://swtimes.com/columns-blogs/steve-brawner/commentary-saving-100-and-hopefully-few-inmates
“Right now, as you know, if you leave prison, you get $100 and a bus ride, a bus ticket, or something of similar fashion,” Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Wednesday in announcing his prison reform plan. “That is really not going to help reduce repeat offenders from going back in.”Sun, 22 Feb 2015 11:07:51 +0000207641 at http://swtimes.comCommentary: Democracy In Fayetteville Didn’t Need Capt. Legislature To Interferehttp://swtimes.com/columns-blogs/steve-brawner/commentary-democracy-fayetteville-didn-t-need-capt-legislature-interfere
Arkansas is now a Republican state, and there is a strain in Republicanism (and in the Democratic Party, and in human nature in general) that seeks to assert power. It has already happened once in a big way this legislative session. Legislators should resist the temptation to do it again.Wed, 18 Feb 2015 11:06:27 +0000206246 at http://swtimes.comCommentary: It’s Not About Whether Terrorists Should Rothttp://swtimes.com/columns-blogs/steve-brawner/commentary-it-s-not-about-whether-terrorists-should-rot
“In my opinion, the only problem with Guantanamo Bay is there are too many empty beds and cells there right now. We should be sending more terrorists there for further interrogation to keep this country safe. As far as I’m concerned, every last one of them can rot in hell, but as long as they don’t do that, then they can rot in Guantanamo Bay.”Sun, 15 Feb 2015 11:08:33 +0000205546 at http://swtimes.comCommentary: Governor, Enjoy This While It Lastshttp://swtimes.com/columns-blogs/steve-brawner/commentary-governor-enjoy-while-it-lasts
We are witnessing the smoothest legislative session in recent memory, thanks to its placement on history’s timeline and the political skills of the state’s leadership, particularly Gov. Asa Hutchinson. He should enjoy this while it lasts.Wed, 11 Feb 2015 11:06:06 +0000204216 at http://swtimes.comBrawner: Greenbrier Thinking Higher Educationhttp://swtimes.com/columns-blogs/steve-brawner/brawner-greenbrier-thinking-higher-education
Faulkner County is the home of three degree-granting educational institutions — the University of Central Arkansas, Hendrix College, and Central Baptist College. Soon there will be a fourth — Greenbrier High School.Sun, 08 Feb 2015 11:05:29 +0000203466 at http://swtimes.comCommentary: Voters Should Select, Not Elect, Judgeshttp://swtimes.com/columns-blogs/steve-brawner/commentary-voters-should-select-not-elect-judges
The recent admission of bribery by former circuit judge Michael Maggio is an example of why Arkansas should consider changing the way it fills judicial offices — still relying on average citizens, but not by using elections.Wed, 04 Feb 2015 11:06:34 +0000202236 at http://swtimes.comCommentary: Here’s Some Hopeful National Debt Newshttp://swtimes.com/columns-blogs/steve-brawner/commentary-here-s-some-hopeful-national-debt-news
If you’re a person who reads this newspaper section or clicks on this column online, you’re probably aware of the national debt and maybe a little concerned, but you’re not crazy about reading 700 words about it.Sun, 01 Feb 2015 11:05:09 +0000201396 at http://swtimes.comCommentary: Governor Delivers State Of The Private Option Speechhttp://swtimes.com/columns-blogs/steve-brawner/commentary-governor-delivers-state-private-option-speech
Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s health-care reform speech last Thursday was what the State of the Union address ought to be but rarely is — an accurate definition of a problem respecting both sides, followed by a solution that actually has a chance of being enacted.Wed, 28 Jan 2015 11:06:54 +0000200156 at http://swtimes.comCommentary: Time To Separate King, Lee Holidayshttp://swtimes.com/columns-blogs/steve-brawner/commentary-time-separate-king-lee-holidays
Many Arkansans may not realize it, but the state celebrates two birthdays on the third Monday each January — Dr. Martin Luther King’s, and Gen. Robert E. Lee’s. And that caught some people’s attention this past week.Sun, 25 Jan 2015 11:09:18 +0000199266 at http://swtimes.comCommentary: Can States Fix What Congress Messed Up?http://swtimes.com/columns-blogs/steve-brawner/commentary-can-states-fix-what-congress-messed
Can the usual processes that created the $18 trillion national debt — now more than $57,000 for every American man, woman and child — also be used to pay it down?Wed, 21 Jan 2015 11:07:15 +0000198061 at http://swtimes.comCommentary: Here’s Arkansas’ Vice Presidenthttp://swtimes.com/columns-blogs/steve-brawner/commentary-here-s-arkansas-vice-president
It may be that the voters elected not so much a lieutenant governor as a vice president of Arkansas.Sun, 18 Jan 2015 11:07:54 +0000197441 at http://swtimes.comCommentary: Want To Be Heard? Focus On State, Not D.C.http://swtimes.com/columns-blogs/steve-brawner/commentary-want-be-heard-focus-state-not-dc
A new governor has assumed office, and legislators have begun the 2015 legislative session, but if you’re like most interested Arkansas citizens, you probably care more about what’s happening in Washington, D.C., than about what’s happening in Little Rock.Wed, 14 Jan 2015 11:07:55 +0000196246 at http://swtimes.comCommentary: What Should Elected Officials Be Paid?http://swtimes.com/columns-blogs/steve-brawner/commentary-what-should-elected-officials-be-paid
The toughest job in state government belongs not to the governor-elect or to the 134 legislators preparing to spend three months considering thousands of bills. It doesn’t belong to the Arkansas Supreme Court justices — a majority of them female for the first time, by the way.Sun, 11 Jan 2015 11:05:06 +0000195381 at http://swtimes.comCommentary: Huckabee Flies The Millennium Falconhttp://swtimes.com/columns-blogs/steve-brawner/commentary-huckabee-flies-millennium-falcon
Do you remember the scene in “The Empire Strikes Back” when C-3PO told Han Solo, “Sir, the possibility of successfully navigating an asteroid field is approximately 3,720 to 1.” and Han Solo replied, “Never tell me the odds.”?Wed, 07 Jan 2015 11:07:18 +0000194226 at http://swtimes.comCommentary: It’s Time To Renew The Constitutionhttp://swtimes.com/columns-blogs/steve-brawner/commentary-it-s-time-renew-constitution
Think everything that’s wrong with this country is President Barack Obama’s fault, or the Republicans’, or both? Nah. The real problem isn’t a person or party. The real problem is that America’s political system doesn’t work anymore. If we “threw out all the bums,” pretty soon we’d decide that the new bunch were bums, too.Sun, 04 Jan 2015 11:05:07 +0000193471 at http://swtimes.comCommentary: Uncertainty Results In Another Unpaved Roadhttp://swtimes.com/columns-blogs/steve-brawner/commentary-uncertainty-results-another-unpaved-road
The last gravel stretch of highway in Arkansas, part of Arkansas 220 in Crawford County, will not be paved for a while, providing the latest example of how uncertainty about the federal government affects so much of everything these days.Wed, 31 Dec 2014 11:05:28 +0000192536 at http://swtimes.comCommentary: Make Cuba Thirstyhttp://swtimes.com/columns-blogs/steve-brawner/commentary-make-cuba-thirsty
You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. That’s how Manny Scott used to see it.Sun, 28 Dec 2014 11:05:43 +0000191921 at http://swtimes.comCommentary: A New Family’s Merry Christmashttp://swtimes.com/columns-blogs/steve-brawner/commentary-new-family-s-merry-christmas
As of Dec. 22, there were 621 children across Arkansas whose parents’ rights have been terminated and who have no “forever family” with whom to share this Christmas. Unlike last year, Robert, 17, is not one of them.Thu, 25 Dec 2014 11:05:28 +0000191221 at http://swtimes.com